State drops two charges in insurance case, plans to drop two others

UPDATE: The state in October 2016 chose not to take action on the criminal mischief and perjury charges on which James Tassi had been arrested. Prosecutors also agreed in August 2017 to drop a charge of filing a false insurance claim against Tassi once he completes 18 months of probation. That probation is scheduled to end in February 2019.

The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud says the 58-year-old Boynton Beach broker drove his luxury vehicle into a canal off Half Mile Road west of Delray so he could make a false insurance claim on the damage.

Court records show the claim was more than $20,000.

An official from the state’s Division of Insurance Fraud was contacted in August by someone about Tassi’s plan – called “vehicle ditching,” according to a state report.

Video and audio, reviewed by a state official Aug. 26, show Tassi drive the white Lexus into the canal, according to the report.

After the wreck, Tassi made a false police report and a false insurance claim, officials say. He was arrested Monday afternoon on perjury, insurance fraud and criminal mischief charges, according to Palm Beach County Jail records.

Court records show Tassi has had a slew of traffic violations in Palm Beach County since 2002, but has an otherwise clean record in the county.